“Get Cha Issue” combines everything we’ve come to love about Port Arthur, Texas’ favorite son, in one, tight package. Addressing a trio of issues, social and political, Bun snaps “Ya’ll some liars, stealers, philanderers, and all / Got Senators sucking dick inside of bathroom stalls.” No punches to be held here.

Class inequality, as well as cultural responsibility, highlight “If It Was Up II Me” and the DJ Khalil-helmed “Another Soldier.” Emotion reaches an entirely different level on “Angel in the Sky,” Bun’s posthumous tribute to one-half of UGK, the late Pimp C.

For those seeking the drip of candy paint and a garish pair of gold fronts, have no fear. The album’s opening two tracks, “II Trill” and “That’s Gangsta” are table setters. Produced by Clinton Sparks and J.R. Rotem, respectively, these two are like downing three red bull and vodkas — in 10 minutes. “Swang On ‘Em” slides in with a swanky set of horns and an album-stealing verse from Lupe Fiasco: “I’m Rick James / And this game is a wide-leather coach for me to plant my feet on.” Shut it down.

That’s not to say this album is a home run, though. Much like it’s predecessor, II Trill succumbs to inconsistency. “My Block,” laced by milk carton status nominee Jazze Pha, is a unnecessary rehash. Scott Storch underwhelms with “I Luv That,” and “You’re Everything” suffers greatly, not from the Jodeci sample but from the mundane production surrounding it. “Pop It 4 Pimp” may be the worst of the lot, reinterpreting Juvenile’s “Back That Azz Up” to almost egregious effect (complete with tacked on Juvie verse). It’s unfortunate to see the likes of Bun and Juvenile sloshing through what could’ve served as a nice contrast to “Angel in the Sky.”

Still, these are only wobbles on an otherwise fairly stable effort. Though production takes a noticeable U-turn when compared to Trill, Bun’s versatility and ever-expanding content on II Trill make for an enjoyable experience overall. He’s yet to unleash a solo classic. However, there’s certainly evidence here to suggest Bun may yet have one up his sleeve. – Jack Goodson

Perhaps not anymore.

On Atmosphere’s sixth full-length release, When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold, emcee Slug steps out of his own shadow, choosing rather to expand his lyrical depth with an emphasis on character-driven dramas.

Gone is the personal diary – for the most part. The angst which has driven Slug for the better part of a decade has also vanished. What’s left is an intricate collection of third-person narratives about life in, well, it’s most realistic interpretation. Addiction, teenage pregnancy, homlessness, a much more relaxed Slug confronts them all to varied effect. A common thread, parenthood, looms throughout.

“Guarantees” is a rustic ode to the blue collar, told through the eyes of a conflicted warehouse employee. “Kill me in my 30s in the name of progress,” he says. And you believe him.

Dynamics such as the one presented on “The Waitress,” however brief, are equal parts rare and refreshing. So, too, is Tom Waits providing background vocals (in the form of a beatbox), which is slightly ironic in the context of the album. Equally enjoyable is “In Her Music Box,” a tale of escapism, specifically a child’s attempt to elude her parents’ strained relationship through music.

The optimism suggested in the album’s title certainly plays a role on Lemons as well. There’s even some sentimentality buried inside this 15-track saunter. “Yesterday” is a therapeutic conversation, a posthumous reconciliation of sorts, between Slug and his deceased father. It’s a touching – dare I say uplifting – piece, further enhanced by Ant’s lively piano-driven production.

Like Slug, Ant is not treading a familiar path here.  He abandons the sample-based production that has dominated the group’s landscape, opting instead for a blend of live instrumentation and jarring new wave synth. The result is quite an obscure palette. Overall, there’s a more organic sound (“Guarantees,” “Like The Rest of Us”), but that’s not to say there isn’t an edge here (“Shoulda Known,” “Can’t Break”).

For those expecting traditional Atmosphere, this will be a pill tough to swallow. Evolution is never easy to accept, and there’s evidence – or speed bumps – here to support the theory (See “You”). Still, it’s hard to argue with quality, and Lemons has that in abundance. - Jack Goodson

Pete’s latest, NY’s Finest, is a welcome addition to the catalog — though not as balanced or groundbreaking as what we’ve come to expect from the Chocolate Boy Wonder.

Arriving nearly four years after the highly-overlooked Soul Survivor II, the album begans impressively. “We Roll,” featuring Jim Jones and Max B, is a jaunting opener. A classic PR bouncer, Rock samples not one but two Kool and The Gang songs (“Summer Madness” and “You Don’t Have To Change”). Jim Jones mumbles — no, slurs — incoherently throughout his verse, but with saucy production like this anyone would sound smooth.

“‘Till I Retire,” a full-on solo track from Rock and the album’s first official single, abandons the traditional PR sound to great success. Over a much more aggressive backdrop flanked by a Run DMC vocal lift, Soul Brother No. 1 adresses the doubters: “I hear the talk, what’s the hating about? Pete Rock ’07, still ‘Straighten It Out.’”

“914,” featuring Styles P and Sheek Louch, is successful as is the Little Brother blessed “Bring Y’all Back” — a sinister, tuba-backed offering. Royal Flush (yes, really) surfaces from the unknown to lace “Questions,” a head-nodding press conference of sorts, while a rejuvenated Redman appears on the fantastic “Best Believe.” Strangling the life out of a signature Pete Rock anthem, Red harks back to the early ’90s with lines such as, “When I run out of ink I kill another octopus.”

Unfortunately, for both Rock and listeners alike, Finest fails to retain much of its momentum during the album’s second half. “Ready Fe War” is an awkward reggae-inspired inclusion, built on the same foundation as Damien Marley’s “Welcome To Jamrock.” Rock steps away from the boards on “Don’t Be Mad,” opting instead for a DJ Green Lantern concoction that lacks any semblance of fervor.

“The PJ’s,” with Raekwon and Masta Killa, is solid — too bad we first heard it nearly two years ago on the 2006 Nature Sounds compilation, Natural Selection. “Comprehend,” the album’s final track, is another example of why Papoose has yet to break through as a mainstream entity; his agressive, awkward delivery simply outweighs a piano-driven piece from Rock that, honestly, deserved better.

Still, the most disappointing aspect of “NY’s Finest” is the exlusion of CL Smooth. But I guess that’s just wishing thinking.

Regardless of its flaws, Finest is a solid, albeit unspectacular, effort. It may not be Mecca and the Soul Brother, but rest easy: your producer’s favorite producer still has the main ingredient. -Jack Goodson

The 2007 7L & Esoteric release, A New Dope, was the first to breathe this sentiment; it posed as a sharp departure from the duo’s more traditional hip-hop recordings of previous years. That evolution continues in the fourth-quarter of ’08 for Eso, who steps to the foreground all by his lonesome with Egoclapper.

Egoclapper, Eso’s solo debut, also serves as the flagship release for Fly Casual Creative – his music label with longtime friend, graphic designer KARMA.  The album, while not really a continuance of A New Dope, is every bit as innovative.

The 1980s still form the LP’s groundwork yet, instead of new wave and electro, Egoclapper is an entirely different animal.  Revolving around sampling, and drawing from music, movies and cartoons, the album is a hodgepodge of popular culture. From golden age hip-hop, to Saturday morning cartoons, to comic books, to James Taylor – yes, James Taylor – the samples here run the gamut.

Sonically, the album is rough, raw if you will.  “Frank Miller Tank Killer” sounds like it was done in the back of a taxi, muffled lyrics over a simple but harsh horn-drum combination.  “Zombie Combat” is sparse in every sense of the word, with a drum arrangement straight out of a Massachusetts garage.  That is until it drastically flips into a relatively soft guitar-led showcase for Too Short and MC Shan lifts.

“Ego Empire” is a gem, serving as a sampling odyssey of sorts.  The Incredible Hulk, Grimlock – of Transformers fame – De La Soul, Luke Skywalker, Jay-Z, etc. make appearances over an understated offering from Esoteric.  Coincidentally, the Boston-based emcee produced 11 of the 16 tracks, giving the album a much-needed consistency.

The same can be said for Egoclapper lyrically.  Esoteric has stated that much of his content was done in an improvisational manner – it shows. And while the Boston-based emcee may not be the most diverse or even the most technically gifted, it’s hard to argue with his cleverness.

“Spidey Jail Break,” a particularly impressive offering production-wise, sees the Boston-based emcee keep with the braggadocio rhymes that occupy much of the album.  Still, it’s difficult to ignore lines like “This shit here is reality rap, let’s hope they don’t make a spin-off.” “Typhoons in Japan” also is a standout, as is “Boston Garden Rap:” “I’ll cut your head off like Jay-Z’s HP ads.”

Though Egoclapper isn’t a complete home run – see “Street Stigma” – it is an impressive offering. Like most great musicians, Esoteric continues to evolve.  Not only is he reinventing his style, he’s asking questions of a genre all too comfortable in its own skin.  Egoclapper may not be a definitive release, but it’s a welcome departure from the malign currently plaguing the industry. – Jack Goodson

    Thes, one-half of underground favorites People Under the Stairs, embarks on quite a coneptual journey with Lifestyle, one that draws upon the genius of two men to create one of the more memorable releases of the year thus far.

    Of these two men, Herb Pilhofer has yet to be mentioned.  You see, Uncle Thester’s inspiration for Lifestyle Marketing was derived from two previously unreleased volumes of Pilhofer’s work. Pilhofer, a German composer/pianist largely recognized for founding Sound 80 – a Minnesota recording studio best known for its contributions to Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks – released Music That Works in the 1970s, an assortment of commercials he produced for a host of local and international companies.

    It is from these jingles that the backdrop for Lifestyle is formed. Albeit strange, the resulting creation is nothing short of amazing. The PUTS signature sound is still resonant — laid-back, jazz-infused rhythms reminiscent of A Tribe Called Quest – but, introduced with Thes’ reinterpretations of these commercials, becomes something altogether distinct.

   The album’s opener, “Gate City Savings and Loan,” teeters on the line between celestial and cryptic  – forceful synth and percussion versus alluring, bewitching keys.  Sparce production on “GBX Malt Liquor” rightfully allows the distorted audio sample to drive the track, while “Target” – the album’s lead single – Is a sharp, funk-driven offering.  “Grain Belt Beer” is undeniably catchy, with the product’s tagline, “Grain Belt Beer treats your thirst,” flanked by a raffish guitar riff. A pair of island/nightlife grooves emerge from Pilhofer’s Pan-Am workings, the later, “Pan-Am 2,” garnering high marks for resembling something Sergio Mendes may have contrived.

Included with Lifestyle Marketing is a bonus disc featuing selections of Pilhofer’s original compositions. These alone are well worth a listen, not only as well-constructed pieces of music but as insight into the production process of Thes One the beatsmith. Lifestyle Marketing is a conceptual mash-up of immense proportions. 

      There’s no doubt Styles caters to the street.  Here, though, the man known as The Ghost reveals a much-more eclectic persona — to both positive and negative results. The album’s opener, “G-Joint,” is a traditional D-Block concoction.  Flanked by an 1980s metal sample — Asia’s “Only Time Will Tell” — and a verse from J-Hood, the tracks sets a solid tone for the rest of the LP. Looking for thug commentary? Both “Fire and Pain” and “Real Shit” (featuring the late Gerald Levert) are more-than-adequate offerings.  “How We Live” is a lively excerpt produced by Havoc.  It’s uncharacteristically light, draped by a beautiful flute melody, but packs quite a punch (“I don’t need to dream, I live another life / When I sleep, it’s so deep, I’m a spare you the visual”).
“Burn One Down” is equally exhilarating, with Styles expounding, “None of ya’ll is big / Not to be funny but none of ya’ll is B.I.G.”

      The album’s finest moment comes in “I’m Black,” an Alchemist-produced “Say It Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud)” for the modern generation.  Although the song has circulated for more than a year, it’s still a remarkable and refreshing proclamation of African-American culture. Still, “I’m Black,” like many tracks on Time Is Money, is previous released material.  This alone brings a dated, almost expired, feel to the album at times. The beg-for-airplay single “Can You Believe It” has made the rounds for some time, albeit unsuccessfully. Not even a Bobby Brown-inspired hook can erase Lil Jon’s drowning production and an subpar performance from Akon.  Much of the same can be said for the pseudo-Swizz sound of “Who Want a Problem.” There’s nothing here we haven’t heard before.

    And therein lies the problem with Time Is Money. Though a solid offering, it’s far from groundbreaking; inspiring in spots, but mainly on the strength of tracks released almost two years ago.
For now, it will suffice. Here’s to hoping Styles, and Styles alone, will determine how long we will have to wait before his next release.

    The group’s fifth release is still littered with what listeners have grown accustomed to - desolate, sometimes gruesome, braggadocio, mashed up with anti-pious rants and half-hazard political intellectualism, all the while over beautiful, dark, well-constructed production. What separates Servants from previous efforts is the emergence of real depth in Paz’s lyrics. Although he gave us a brief look at his ability on Legacy of Blood  (see “Before the Great Collapse”) never before has Vinnie Paz displayed such versatility and maturity. On “Shadow Business”, he confronts Asian slave labor head-on in painful detail: “The slave master only let them speak in sign language / plus they suffering from lung disease and eye damage / fourteen hour shifts seven days a week / two shitty meals a day very little sleep.” Backed by Stoupe’s despairing simplicity, complete with actual media excerpts pertaining to the topic at hand, the song is a sharp, and a welcome, contrast to what we’ve come to expect from JMT. That approach continues with “Razorblade Salvation”, which serves as a follow-up to “Before the Great Collapse”.  This time, Paz’s letter to his mother focuses on beating depression, rather than succumbing to it. The album’s chef d’oeuvre, “Uncommon Valor: A Vietnam Story”, maintains the same strong conceptual feel, but in an even more poignant manner.  The song, featuring the often-overlooked R.A. the Rugged Man, offers first-person recollections from soldiers with contrasting views. Over a haunting vocal sample, Paz delivers possibly the most introspective verse of his career: “My mother always said, ‘The president, he doesn’t care’ / He tryin’ to leave the footprints of America here.”  Even so, he’s outshined by R.A., who conjures up what may be the verse of the 2006.  As a brash, somewhat demented, solider, he weaves an epic account of cause and its effect.

    For those still harboring affection for JMT’s roots, there is plenty to satisfy.  The album’s lead single, “Heavy Metal Kings” features a tormenting verse from Ill Bill and production that resembles a Victorian nightmare.  The strings of “Put ‘Em In The Grave” hark memories of Little Italy, while “Gutta Music”, which features Reef the Lost Cauze and Chief Kamachi, is something to ride out to.  “Outlive the War” is another notable endeavor, incorporating flamenco-inspired castanets and tambourines into a vivacious backdrop.

    But even these tracks exhibit a more mature and established Vinnie Paz, making it quite clear “the Verbal Hologram” may have finally taken the next step.  With Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell, Paz has struck a keen balance between street and social awareness.  Couple that with a Stoupe soundscape, which is rarely disappointing, and JMT has created its finest work since Violent By Design.